Philippine lawmaker announces presidential bid in 2010 polls

Holding a cigarette outside a chapel inside the Carmelite Monastery in Zamboanga City in Mindanao, Senator Benigno Aquino III and his companions relax after a meeting with nuns last week. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 9, 2009) – Senator Benigno Aquino III has announced Wednesday his candidacy for the presidency in next year’s national polls.

Aquino, son of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino and ex-senator Benigno Aquino, made the announcement at the Club Filipino in San Juan City. It was attended by many opposition politicians.

The Club Filipino was also the same place where Aquino’s mother took her oath as president in 1986. The former Philippine leader died in August due to cancer.

Critics said the senator was taking advantage of her mother’s popularity. Last week, Aquino went to Mindanao and met with his supporters and religious leaders to seek guidance whether to run or not in the presidential elections.

President Gloria Arroyo’s political party has not yet named its candidate that would challenge Aquino. (Mindanao Examiner)

Noynoy Aquino seeks spiritual guidance in Zamboanga City

Senator Benigno Aquino III on Friday, September 4, 2009 privately met with the Carmelite Sisters (Order of Discalced Carmelite) at a monastery in Zamboanga City in Mindanao to seek spiritual advice whether to run for the presidency in next year’s elections. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 4, 2009) – The son of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino, Senator Benigno Aquino III, on Friday privately met with the Carmelite Sisters in Zamboanga City in Mindanao to seek spiritual advice whether to seek for the presidency in next year’s elections.

Aquino, guarded by members of the local Police SWAT team, arrived at around 9 a.m. at the monastery of the Order of Discalced Carmelite where she was met by Sr. Edilla Teresa Ratilla and Sr. Mary Gloria Limbaga.

The monastery was where Aquino’s mother went for a retreat in 1985 before she decided to run for president against Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Yellow ribbons were also tied around street poles and trees outside and inside the monastery. The yellow motif was used by Aquino’s mother and the opposition during the campaign in the 1986 snap elections against Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The nuns also gave Aquino a prayer pamphlet before leading him to a room where the senator met with Sr. Agnes Guillen, the monastery’s prioress.

”The meeting is private, we cannot allow the media and we hope you understand,” the prioress told the Mindanao Examiner by phone prior to the meeting.

Aquino was in Davao City on Thursday and also met with supporters and came to Zamboanga for spiritual retreat and to seek guidance from the nuns.

At the monastery, Aquino held a closed door meeting with the nuns for about 2 hours and came out for a brief smoke and then prayed at the monastery’s chapel before eating lunch with the Carmelite Sisters.

“I thank all those who are supporting me,” Aquino said, but it was unknown whether he would pursue the presidency.

Senator Mar Roxas, of the Liberal Party, who earlier said he would seek the presidency, has backed out Wednesday in favor of Aquino. Pampanga provincial governor Eduardo Panlilo, a former Catholic priest, had announced he would run for the president, but also backed out Friday and said he would only support Aquino. (Mindanao Examiner)